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Therizinosaurus
'Therizinosaurus' (name meaning "''Scythe Lizard"), also commonly dubbed The Giant Claw due to its large scythe-like claws, is a genus of herbivorous therizinosaurid theropod dinosaur that originated during the Late Cretaceous period in what is now Asia. Originally believed that the claws, due to their large size, were the bones of a giant turtle, it was eventually discovered to be a theropod-like herbivorous dinosaur. Measuring 10 meters long, weighing around 6 tons, and armed with claws over 2 feet in length, Therizinosaurus was the last and arguably the largest representatives of its unique group, the Therizinosauria. In the Series 2 episode, "The Giant Claw", the team managed to rescue a small group of Therizinosaurus from prehistoric Mongolia, 80 million years ago. Facts Era & Discovery Therizinosaurus lived in prehistoric Mongolia during the Late Cretaceous period 80–65 million years ago. It shared the environment with dinosaurs like Saurolophus, Protoceratops, Mononykus, Velociraptor, and its natural enemy Tarbosaurus. And with them, it died out when all the dinosaurs went extinct at the end of the Cretaceous. When a single claw of a Therizinosaurus was first uncovered sometime in the 1950s by paleontologists, the claw itself was so extraordinary that paleontologists originally believed it to have been a single rib bone that belonged to a giant turtle, possibly Archelon. But sometime later between the 1970s and 1980s, it was discovered that the claws were actually attached to a dinosaurs' arms. Measuring 10 feet (3 m) long, they were the longest arms of any dinosaur or creature ever found. And because of their scythe-like appearance, paleontologists had then decided to name the dinosaur "Therizinosaurus" or the "Scythe Lizard". Physical Attributes Therizinosaurus was the largest member of its family, measuring 32–43 feet (10–13 m) long, standing 16–23 feet (5–7 m) tall and weighing up to between 4–8 tons (8,000–16,000 lbs.). Known by its scientific name as the "Scythe Reptile", these dinosaurs were known for having the longest and largest claws of any animal ever discovered, 28–inch (1.5 m) long claws. Hence, how they got their nickname, "The Giant Claw". Therizinosaurus used its long neck to reach higher branches in trees, where it would nibble leaves with its small, beak-like mouth. Also, it could probably hook branches down with its great claws, or use them to strip off bark on tree trunks. Behavior & Traits ]]At first, scientist thought the claws were as large as they were because they believed they belonged to a meat-eating dinosaur, but it turns out ''Therizinosaurus, having a long neck, small head, and those magnificent claws on their hands, had actually been a plant-eater rather than a predator and even used their huge claws to drag leaves towards their mouths. Interestingly, these dinosaurs also lived in herds. They were the oddest of dinosaurs: great long necks for reaching up for vegetation; pot bellies – great fermentation chambers for the tons of vegetation they had to eat. Their huge claws weren't for killing, although they could discourage even a huge Tarbosaurus. As scary as they may have looked, Therizinosaurs were gentle creatures. When mating or trying to defend its self, Therizinosaurus may have stood with its arms outstretched, like a swan flapping its wings, so that it could display the size of its claws. If this failed, it may have been able to take gentle swipes at any aggressors, although the weight of the claws would have limited their use as an effective weapon. When walking, Therizinosaurus probably folded its arms against its body, a bit like a bird, to stop the weight of the claws from unbalancing it. With its giant claws, long neck, bulbous body, and small head, Therizinosaurus was one of the strangest-looking of all the dinosaurs. Journal Entry Gallery imagesCACLKLYN.jpg|''Therizinosaurus'' drinking imagesCAS7GHA7.jpg|''Therizinosaurus'' eating Therizinosaurus skeleton arm, The Giant Claw.png|Skeleton arm of a Therizinosaurus imagesCAQOX9AE.jpg imagesCAJ32MM7.jpg TGC_TherizinosaurusClaws.jpg|The claws of Therizinosaurus Trivia *The sound effects of Therizinosaurus are wolf howls, ambulance wails, giraffe munches, elephant trumpets, and vulture squawks as well as some cow sounds. *''Therizinosaurus'' probably had fur-like feathers, and not scaly skin, as in the series. *''Tarbosaurus'' was actually larger than Therizinosaurus as opposed to as large. Category:Prehistoric Animals Category:Dinosaurs Category:Reptiles Category:Cretaceous Dinosaurs Category:Cretaceous Wildlife Category:Creature of Interest Category:Herbivores Category:Theropods